The Monkey’s Pawby W. W. Jacobs

“Be careful what you wish for, you may receive it.”

The Monkey’s Paw

• Fairy Tale/Short Story Elements• Plot– Conflict– Exposition– Rising Action– Climax– Falling Action– Resolution

The Monkey’s Paw

• Conflict is essential to the plot to add tension, create depth for characters, and hold the reader’s attention

• Plot Devices– Foreshadowing adds tension and suspense• Details that hint at upcoming events

– Flashback provides background information• An interruption in the plot to describe a past event

The Monkey’s Paw

• Predictions– Your logical ideas about what you think will

happen next in the story.• To make predictions, you must:– Pay attention to story details– Use your prior knowledge and personal

experiences

The Monkey’s Paw

• Types of Personal Connections for Predictions:1. Text to Text2. Text to Media3. Text to World4. Text to Self

The Monkey’s Paw

• Text to Text–We use knowledge of other stories

or novels with similar plots to help us predict the outcome of the story.

The Monkey’s Paw

• Text to Media–Use cultural knowledge and

experiences with movies, television, music, video games, and other tangible media to help us connect to the story.

The Monkey’s Paw

• Text to World–Use knowledge of current events and

news in the political, social, economic, and environmental world to help us identify key issues in the story.

The Monkey’s Paw

• Text to Self–Use knowledge of human nature and

our personal life experiences (as well as those of our friends and family) to help us predict how characters will behave in the story.

The Monkey’s Paw

• Big Question: Is There a Difference Between Reality and Truth?

• Think about a disagreement you have had with someone in the past where you had opposite opinions, but each of you believed your argument was the truth.

• How can we verify the truth?

The Monkey’s Paw

• Think about your answers to the previous question as you read through the text.• Look for explanations the characters

offer to explain the truth behind the events in “The Monkey’s Paw.”

The Monkey’s Paw

• Key Vocabulary (p.30)1. Grave2. Maligned3. Credulity4. Furtively5. Apathy6. Oppressive

The Monkey’s Paw

• Author: William Wymark Jacobs– Born September 8th, 1863– Civil clerk in the Post Office Savings Bank of

London in 1879– Published first short story in 1885– Majority of work was humorous in tone– “The Monkey’s Paw” (1902) is his most macabre

and horrifying tale, and the most popular– Died September 1st, 1943

The Monkey’s Paw

• Historical context– The English East India Company settled in India by

1611 and exported tea and textiles to England. The English quickly became fascinated with Indian culture. Elephants, tigers, and monkeys were great novelties. Rajahs had outrageous wealth and many wives, fakirs did astonishing feats such as lying on beds of nails, and many people wore exotic clothing and jewelry. There were ornate temples and artwork, new foods, and unfamiliar beliefs along with dreadful diseases, poisonous snakes, and mysterious cults.

The Monkey’s Paw

• Do you agree or disagree with the following statements and why?1. One should be content with his or her life as it is.2. People should not play games with fate.3. You should never be afraid to be the master of

your destiny.4. Nothing is ever truly free.

• ***Honors: Read “The Monkey’s Paw” (p.30-42) for homework. Write down important words/details that influence the mood of the story.

The Monkey’s Paw